When They Were Younger
by Ainsi C'est Amour
Summary: When they were 13, Draco asked Harry if he believed in love. This is the story of two boys growing up and finding there may be something more to their friendship. HPDM slash


**AN:** A lengthy one shot that I had to get off my chest. I was just itching to write a story set outside of Hogwarts, where Harry and Draco are normal kids who grew up around each other and discover there might be something more to it. I hope you like it; it's not my best, but like I said, I just had to write it and this is how it came out.

**In order to remain young,**

**One must change.**

---

Draco and Harry were the best of friends.

They'd known each other since birth; literally.

Their mothers had them in the same hospital, almost at the exact same moment, on the same day, month and year.

They had grown to be very fond of each other.

They enjoyed nothing more than each others' company, and everyday they had to be around each other, ready to cause mischief and havoc when their mummy's weren't watching, since they were too busy gossiping over their tea and magazines, and their fathers' were doing what men did best: argued over the sports they watched on the telly.

Time went on, and things happened that the two boys began to note as significant.

When they were 4, Draco walked in on Harry peeing. Draco had never seen another boys' privates before, and instead of covering his eyes, he stared idly at Harry's tiny member. He giggled, and caught the other boys' attention. Harry turned to him and jumped. They both stopped in a fit of giggles.

---

When they were 6, they waited outside of their school for their mum's to pick them up, teachers waving off other little children and making sure they stayed in eyes viewing.

"Draco, last nite I saw my mum and dad doing something very weird," Harry said, watching in amusement as the other boys blonde tousles whipped around in the wind.

"What was that, Harry?" he said, snatching at the grass in front of him in boredom.

"They were smashing their faces together, and making funny noises; I had to smack dad, I think he was hurting my mum 'cause she kept whining," he sighed, recalling the memory and wrinkling his button nose.

Draco's eyes widened in horror.

"I've seen my dad do it to my mum, too! D'you think they're trying to kill 'em?" he squawked, jumping to his feet and fixing his backpack. An inquisitive look dawned on Harry's face.

"Wanna try it?" he said, getting closer to the boy. Draco smirked and shrugged his shoulders. They leant into each other and bumped their lips together in a poorly fashioned, supposed to be kiss.

"That wasn't too bad, I s'pose," Harry simpered. Moments later, their mum's called them over and they waved their good-byes' from the windows of their passing cars.

---

When they were 8, at one of the many sleepovers they had, Draco couldn't help but watch Harry dress for bed. Harry caught him staring, and smiled, saying:

"Is Drakey-wakey a poufter?" At this Draco flushed brighter than a tomato, replying with an extremely high pitched 'Good nite, Harry'.

---

When they were 10, Draco's parents had divorced, and Draco had to go away with his dad. On their last day together, Draco told Harry this:

"I have to go away for a little while with dad. I'll be back though for the summers', mum would have a fit dad says. I don't know what I'm going to do without you, Harry. No one else will ever lose as sorely in Exploding Snaps as you do!" he laughed, trying to make the boy in front of him smile. It did not work. Harry only threw himself onto Draco, silently weeping into his shoulder. As if on cue, both of their mums' came to fetch them, drawing the two away from each other. Harry would cry every nite until summer came.

---

They were 11, and full of energy. They raced through the summer days, eating ice cream, trying their hand at sports, playing tag, rolling around, annoying their mums and adopting quizzical behaviours that led to the asking, experimenting and trying at least once of everything.

"Drake, I was watching the telly the other day and I saw this lady and a guy going like this," Harry said, sticking his tongue out and wagging it exaggeratedly, laughing and clutching his sides. Draco made a serious face and looked as though he were thinking. Harry stopped and watched him as he came closer.

"Wanna try it?" Draco asked.

"But we're boys!" Harry exclaimed. Draco shrugged and sat down.

"Fine, you wuss," he teased.

"I am not a wuss!" Harry whined. He pounced onto the poor, unsuspecting boy and proceeded to shove his tongue into Draco's parted lips, nearly stunning him in the act. Draco did not know how to react and only rolled from under him, wiping the dirt and grass from his clothes.

"I think I heard mum calling me…see you later, Harry," he lied, running off. Harry lay in the grass, confused and smiling awkwardly.

---

One summer when they were 13, Draco moved back in with his mum after she found out Draco's dad had started a new, unfit family with an abusive, belittling stepmother. Harry was, without a doubt, ecstatic. Both boys had grown significantly, developed deeper voices, Harry getting tanned and growing out his hair, Draco gorgeously thin with blonde hair framing his face. Something else had made them different from how they were; they had discovered hormones.

There were times when both boys couldn't get enough of the sight of one another, taking every chance they could to peek at each other's bare skin, pink, pillowy lips and developing torso's.

On a nite where fire flies were humming and the trees were singing; where the stars were burning and the wind was lullabying all insects to bed, there sat two boys in vibrant, wet grass.

"Harry, have you ever thought about falling in love? I know we're young and everything, but I think it's stupid…I mean, my mum and dad didn't stay in love, so why would I? It's obviously not real. Fairytales are just that, Harry; fairytales. No happily-ever-afters are meant for me," Draco wandered aloud to the stars and to Harry. Harry shrugged beside him.

"I don't think that's the right way to look at it, Drake… I think love could be a wonderful thing; I mean, lookit my parents. They're a perfect example of an everlasting, worthwhile love. I think it just creeps up on you. Like puberty," he gestured, laughing to the sky. Draco laughed wholeheartedly along with him. A silence followed, to which Harry rolled over and kissed Draco's cheek.

---

When they were 15, Draco had gotten a girlfriend, and claimed to be head over heels in love with her, no longer spending his time with Harry, but out at the movies, the mall, and any and every party he was invited to. In high school, Draco was the popular one, whereas Harry was the quiet, reserved and nice one. Draco kept insisting on how wonderful girls were, with their developing breasts, soft lips, and nonexistent penises. Harry shook off the thought; honestly, it made him want to gag. On their birthday, Draco went to a party where he was seen snogging the life out of his girlfriend. He'd gotten better at it since they were younger, having had used Harry as his practice dummy. The same nite Draco was out partying, Harry sat at home with his family, opening gifts morosely and reading a book.

---

16 came and Harry was still alone, still wondering where he and Draco's friendship went, and still frustratingly shy. He had tried to approach a couple of girls, to which they politely said no, and gave up. He began to question himself; why had Draco, the one who didn't believe in love, found it so quickly, when Harry, the one who was without a doubt sure such a wonderful thing as love existed, was alone and shunned? One day while in P.E., Harry was caught staring at Draco undress. This earned him the pleasant title as being the school fag. In the hallways, if he wasn't putting on his icy air, Harry would swear he'd catch Draco giving him sad looks that he wanted to believe meant that he wanted him to save him.

---

When they were 17, Harry had had enough. He went over to Draco's house where he was having a party, yanking him from under his new girlfriend, dragging him out to his car and driving them to the empty parking lot of Club Excess.

"What the fuck is this all about, Harry? What kind of shit do you think you're trying to pull? Turn this fucking car around and take me back home; I have a party going on if you didn't fucking notice," Draco yelled, obviously drunk and falling over, struggling to take off his seat belt. Harry locked the doors as he attempted to get out. He only sat still, and leaning over without him knowing, kissed Draco's cheek. All movements from him stopped. Harry moved his lips to whisper in his ear.

"There has been this awkward feeling in my chest for some time now, and I never knew what it was until a couple years ago. Now, Draco, I know love is real. It is harsh, berating, cruel and irrational. But sometimes, in its glorious moments, it can be wonderful, exciting, silly and just great. Have you ever tried looking for love outside of the norm? Outside of what is expected, and what society tells you is right? Have you ever thought you may have found it, and it was right under your nose the whole time? Draco, I have valued our friendship since day one and no words could ever describe how badly it hurt me when you began to stray away from me…I understand, I'm not cool enough, not wild enough…but that didn't matter to you when we were younger. Do you remember our first real kiss?" Draco shuddered and sat up straight.

"Take me home, Harry." And he did. The ride back was just as silent. Draco got out of the car, not looking back once. If only he could've seen the look on Harry's face. The sadness he'd felt for all of 4 years painfully written all over it.

---

They're 19 now, and Harry's moved to the next town over in a nice, quiet apartment that he lives in by himself. He has not dated, nor seen anyone since after his birthday with an intelligent, quirky boy named Dan, to which he was too shy and never interested in. Their breaking up was quick and painless; at least, for Harry it was. He is openly gay, and openly ignored. He and Draco have not spoken since the nite of his party. Burdened by the memories of their childhood, it is his only friend as well as the bane of his existence.

It is raining, and the fireplace is crackling, the only noise heard in his humble abode. Sad. How very, very sad.

There's a knock. More like a pounding. No one ever visits him, so why should he care. He opens the door anyway. Of all people, soaked and drunk, stands Draco Malfoy. His childhood friend. He didn't wonder how he found him, or why he was here. The second he opened the door of his apartment was the same moment he opened the door to his heart.

"She cheated on me, Harry. She was fucking someone else in my own bed. She told me she never loved me, Harry… she never loved me," he sobbed, collapsing, but luckily Harry caught him. He looked into his eyes and without thinking, kissed the alcohol-tinged lips. Draco pulled back.

"It's always been you, Harry. I tried to fight it. I was so afraid. That nite under the stars, when you said what you did; I felt it, Harry. I felt it creep up on me, and I got scared. None of the girls did anything for me like you did; the way you made me feel. Oh God, Harry, I'm so sorry!" Harry only shushed him and cradled him in his arms, waiting for the harsh sobs to subside.

That nite they made the sweetest love anyone could ever have. Draco exclaimed of how tight and warm Harry was; that was because Harry had remained a virgin. He always knew Draco would come back to him. He only wondered why it took him so long to realize what he always knew: Harry was his, and there was no denying that.

---

They're 22 and Harry proudly wears a silver band on his finger. Draco smiles from a photo on a wedding invitation sent out to family and friends. They are not like they were when they were younger; they are smarter, more mature, and in love. Everyday Harry teases Draco about what he said when they were 13, about how love does not exist and will not last. Draco allows him to do so before capturing him by the waist and kissing him sweetly, and each time, he apologizes for being 'such a stupid git'.

Their love was undeniable, and everyone knew it. It was not hard to see why the two boys were so fond of each other. After all, they had been in love since they were younger.

_Fin._

Um, review please? Hope this wasn't too bad ; Erm, no flames please! Te he!


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